The F1 market is still moving, and the grid for the 2025 season is already taking shape. This time, it was the turn of a veteran, Kevin Magnussen, who will not continue with Haas. The American team announced on Thursday that they will not renew his contract, which ends at the end of this year.
The Danish driver joined the team in 2017 and stayed until 2020 when they decided to renew the lineup in a very tough year for them. In 2022, he unexpectedly returned because he was on vacation in Miami and shared the team with Mick Schumacher, whom he beat without many problems. However, since 2023, with the return of Hulkenberg, he has struggled to keep up and has been clearly inferior.
«I would like to extend my thanks to everyone at MoneyGram Haas F1 Team. I am proud to have competed for such a great team in recent years. In particular, I would like to thank Gene Haas for his commitment to me, especially for bringing me back once again in 2022 when I thought, at least at that time, my time in Formula 1 was over. I have enjoyed great moments with this team, memories that I will never forget. While I look forward to the next chapter of my career as a driver, I remain fully focused on giving my all for the rest of 2024 with MoneyGram Haas F1 Team,» the driver said in the team’s statement.
A vacant spot at Haas
With this announcement, there is another vacancy on the grid for the next season. Surely, Haas will be looking for a slightly experienced driver, as a few weeks ago, they announced that young Ollie Bearman, a driver from the Ferrari academy’s F2, would be driving for them in 2025.
In fact, although there is no official confirmation, there are rumors in the paddock that Esteban Ocon could be the replacement for the Danish driver at Haas. The Frenchman could start his new post-Alpine chapter in a team that has been at the bottom of the table for years but has surprised in some circuits in 2024, especially with some performances by Nico Hulkenberg.
We will see if the future of the veteran driver is outside the Grand Prix, because at 31 years old and after a tough season, it will not be easy for him to find a spot on the grid. In his career, he has achieved a pole with Haas in Brazil in 2022, in a rainy Qualifying session. He also has a podium with McLaren. In 2024, he has only scored 5 points, compared to the 22 points his teammate has scored.